If you've never seen Ira Levin's Deathtrap, you are in for a treat. If you've already savoured all the twists and turns of this consummate thriller, here's another opportunity to appreciate Levin's clever cat-and-mouse classic. It all seems simple enough as the scene is set. Sidney Bruhl, a one-hit playwright, played by Nick Waring receives a manuscript from a student whom he taught in a creative writing class. The script is quite brilliant, and if it had been written by Sidney, it could have been the perfect solution to the money problems being experienced by him and his wife (Emily Raymond). When the naïve, young student, Clifford Anderson (George Watkins) turns up to consult his mentor about the script called Deathtrap and reveals that no one else has a copy, the next step seems brutally obvious. However, nothing is obvious in Levin's brilliantly plotted piece. You would need to be a psychic to guess what will happen next, and even the seer, Helga ten Dorp, played by Issy Van Randwyck doesn't always manage to figure it out. Levin's well-made play grips the audience from the start, and this production is nicely paced to squeeze the maximum of suspense and surprise from the piece. A couple of curious notes were the decision to have characters face away from the audience at various points, and the resort to an almost farce-like over statement of the final twist. Nevertheless, this production of Levin's masterwork provides a perfectly satisfying murder puzzle, and, as always at The Mill at Sonning, it is preceded by a thoroughly enjoyable meal.
Rated: ★★★★
Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Andreas Lambis
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When, Where, Getting there:
- Feb 8 - Mar 30, 2024
- Wed - Sat: 8:15 pm. Restaurant open: 6:15 pm - 8 pm
- Sat: 2:15 pm. Restaurant open: 12:15 pm - 2 pm
- Sun (from Feb 18): 2:15 pm. Restaurant open: 12:15 pm - 2 pm
- The Mill at Sonning
- Nearest station: Reading
- https://millatsonning.com/shows/deathtrap/
